The present invention relates to corkscrews.
More particularly, it relates to a corkscrew which has an external tubular body provided with a mouth forming the bottle support means, a metallic spiral to be introduced in the cork to pull the corkscrew, support means for the metallic spiral and actuation means to achieve the elevation of the metallic spiral introduced in the cork and the extraction of the cork.
At present, different types of corkscrews are known, having a as a common shape: a foldable metallic spiral fitted on a handle or chassis intended to facilitate its grip and actuation.
In these corkscrews, the metallic spiral is fitted over the central area of the handle. The handle includes a foldable arm at one of its ends, which forms a support over the bottle mouth in order to allow the corkscrew to act like a lever over the metallic spiral during the extraction of the cork.
The arm may have an end support area or several longitudinally separated support areas, which are used selectively in the different stages of cork extraction.
The use of these corkscrews requires the application of a substantial force in order to remove the cork and the use of both hands, one hand to apply the pushing force over the handle and the other hand to keep the extreme arm over the bottle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a corkscrew which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a corkscrew which permits extraction of corks with a minimum effort and simple operation, and has a reduced size depending only on the length of the metallic spiral.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent herein after, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated, in a corkscrew which has a tubular body on which an internal tubular part is housed provided with longitudinal travel capability but without rotation capability, with a metallic spiral fitted on the internal tubular part also with longitudinal travel capability but without rotation capability.
Both the external tubular body and the internal tubular part have some lateral planes intended to prevent its relative rotation.
In its back area, the metallic spiral has a reinforcement with a transverse pin that is guided with its ends in some longitudinal openings defined in the tubular part.
The metallic spiral may have an opening with a diameter significantly greater than that of the pin fastening it, in order to permit a lateral mobility when it is released from the tubular body through which it passes.
The metallic spiral has a leading portion permanently protruding through the leading end of the tubular part, allowing its introduction in the cork on rotating the corkscrew once the tubular body mouth is supported over the bottle.
The metallic spiral tends to be displaced toward the back area of the tubular part by the action of a spring that is resiliently deformable as said metallic spiral penetrates in the cork.
At the sides of the longitudinal openings, the internal tubular part has graduated scales permitting to know the penetration of the metallic spiral in the cork, depending on the position of the pin of the metallic spiral. In this way, the metallic spiral is prevented from crossing the entire cork.
In order to facilitate cork extraction, this corkscrew has a foldable lateral lever associated to the back end of the intermediate part. Over the intermediate area of this lever, a blade for the crown cork lifting of bottles and an arm which has to be detached from the internal surface of said part by the action of a torsion spring, are fitted by means of a common rotation shaft.
The purpose of this lever is to lean with its end over a teething defined in the lateral surface of the tubular body, determining the elevation of the upper end of the lever and hence, the internal tubular part, each time the lever is pressed towards the lateral surface of the external tubular body.
When pressing and releasing the lever repeatedly, the arm leans on the successive teeth of the tubular body until achieving total removal of the cork.
Laterally, the tubular body has means permitting the lever to be retained in the folded or closed position when not being used. The tubular body also has a lateral tooth to remove crown type corks.
According to the invention, the back end of the internal tubular part is closed by means of a cigar cutter, which moreover acts as a joining component between said part and the aforementioned foldable lever.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.